My High School Years
by Toejones
Summary: My old story revised with a better plot and more "action". Akatsuki AU fanfic, Hidan meets Kakuzu on a plane, Sasori is a player, and Itachi is a suicidal maniac from Texas. ENJOY. T for boys loving boys and Hidan's flithy little mouth.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One:

…_..:::::: Detroit Michigan- Sun August 14__th__- 8:00 am ::::::….. _

'_It was raining when I left for the airport_'. That's the thought Hidan was forcing himself to think as he boarded the plane with shaking legs. '_It's sunny now, so that's a plus!'_

He had to be shoved into the tunnel connecting the airplane with the airport by his mother, who had her sliver eyebrows knit in anger.

"Fucking GO" was all she had to say to him before he turned and gulped. He did not like planes. I fact, he hated anything that moved without him controlling it; roller coasters, boats, horse-drawn carriages, and especially planes. He could ride in a car and that was about it.

"FUCKING _BYE_ THEN" he screamed back at her on an afterthought, stomping away from all the people covering their children's ears and shooting him looks. He'd never ever show that he was scared. Planes were safe… there's no way they'd fall. '_And I will not get motion sick'_ he added.

As he entered the actual plane he was greeted by a blonde-and-happy-to-meet-you stewardess who told him to 'enjoy his flight'. Phfft.

The uncomfortable (and ugly to boot) upholstery squeaked as he took his seat next to a tall, broad-shouldered boy around his age. "Hey" Hidan waved. He was ignored by the boy, whose nose was in a book titled _'Financial'_… well Hidan didn't know what the other word meant so we'll leave it at that. "Fucking be that fucking way then!" Hidan muttered irately under his breath.

He reached for his backpack and managed to find his bottle of sleeping pills. He shook a couple into his palm and dry swallowed them. Now he wouldn't have to deal with the nausea he always got when he flew.

"This is your pilot speaking" came the garbled voice from above "We'll be taking off here in about 3 minutes, so make sure you're seatbelts are fastened and all your items are either in the bins above you or secured elsewhere. Thank you and have a good flight!" there was a click and the seatbelt light flashed on.

With a small smile to himself Hidan curled up in his seat, ready to sleep for a few hours. The engines started up with a rumble and soon they were going down the runway, lifting off, and long gone.

…_..:::::: Still on the plane- around 11:30 pm ::::::….. _

"We're about to land" a voice floated somewhere above him. It was gruff, but not old. Hidan felt like replying, but was far too deep into his medicated sleep to be able to. "Wake up, kid" Hidan was roughly shaken, his arm bumping his armrest repeatedly.

His eyes creaked open slowly and he rubbed the sleep out of them in haste. "Whozzahell…?" he garbled, yawning. He looked over to his right where the boy he'd been ignored by was sitting. Green eyes bore into him with such an intense look Hidan almost balked. But he was Hidan. "What the fuck do you want, ass-hole?"

"We're about to land, kid" replied his neighbor, who shoved his accounting book into a black leather briefcase at his feet.

"Oh sweet! By the way, my fucking name is not 'kid'. I'm Hidan. Who the fuck are you?"

"My name is Kakuzu" he replied stiffly.

"Why the fuck are you wearing a mask?" Hidan pointed to Kakuzu's face. He hadn't fully seen Kakuzu's face before (it was hidden by his long black hair).

"Why are you albino?" Kakuzu spat back, pointing to Hidan's slicked back white hair. Hidan looked off to the side, thinking about it.

"Genetics!' he declared, holding up a finger. Kakuzu rolled his eyes before straightening his collar.

"So what brings you to England?" Kakuzu changed the subject.

"School. Boarding school, actually. Forest Hollow… my damn therapist says the… er… secluded-ness or something is supposed to help my fucking anger issues. I'm supposed to make 'friends'" he made bunny ears around the last word.

"Oh really? I live in Midland. I'm going to be returning to Forest Hollow for the third year this year. What grade are you in?" Kakuzu sounded proud.

"Oh, I'm in 10th grade. I've been going to some crap high school downtown in Flint. The school sucked major balls, but I managed to get some hommies" Hidan made a mock gangster pose. Kakuzu didn't show any sign of having thought it was funny, so Hidan continued. "But one got some major problems and had to go to some psych hospital down south in Texas, and the other moved to Winchester and started coming to Forest Hollow. I only see him in the fucking summer, so he's the only reason I agreed to go."

"Well that's certainly interesting". Kakuzu picked up his briefcase as the plane started to descend. Hidan turned a pallid green color. "Don't fly well?" he kept staring ahead.

"Yeah" Hidan nodded as they hit the runway.

-

"Fuck I hate planes" Hidan gasped for air as he emerged into the airport, Kakuzu close behind.

"I've gathered" Kakuzu replied stoically. _WHOOOOOOOOOOSH!_ A big blonde blur skidded in-between Hidan and Kakuzu.

"OHMAHGAWDHIDANIHAVEN'TEENYOU INFOREVER, UN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" yelled the person at ten million miles an hour.

"Hey… Deidara" Hidan gasped from the death grip he was being held in.

"HIII!!!' sang the blonde happily, letting the shorter boy out of the bear-hug. Kakuzu's eyes widened as he took in the tall blonde 'boy'.

He was at _least_ 5'7"(not that it even compared to Kakuzu's 6'0"), with almost waist-length blonde hair, pulled back in a half ponytail, blue eyes with enough eyeliner to make an emo jealous, a tight fitted tanktop and jeans (both black), a hot pink fishnet shirt underneath, and to top it off, a rainbow belt.

"Good Lord" Kakuzu uttered unintentionally. Hidan's bright pink eyes and Deidara's icy blue ones both locked onto him immediately.

"Are you a homophobe? Do you not like bishounen, cross-dessers?" Hidan asked.

"No…no... and uh... no. Why?" Kakuzu asked. Hidan grinned.

"Never mind! This is Deidara, the friend I was telling you about on the plane ride! Dei-Chan, this is Kakuzu. I met him on the plane!"

"I approve, un!" Deidara smiled. Kakuzu held out his hand,

"Nice to meet you"

"You as well, un!" Deidara ignored the hand. Kakuzu noticed he was wearing gloves, but let the thought leave his mind when Hidan tugged on his sleeve. Only when Kakuzu looked down did he notice that Hidan was really short. Maybe only 5'4".

"What?" he asked irritably. He'd known Hidan for a total of ten minutes and was already annoyed and bored with him.

"Just wanted to fuckin' say bye, Ass-hole! May Jashin be kind to you" he waved, linked arms with Deidara, and walked off.

"Who the hell is Jashin...?" Kakuzu muttered to himself.

___________

A/N

Back by popular demand. I love you all!!!!

The plot is the same, but the grammar doesn't suck, and things make more sense. Fewer pointless big words.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

…_..:::::: In a taxi on 12__th__ street somewhere in England- Mon August 15__th__- 1:30 am ::::::….. _

The taxi ride was quiet. Deidara had his face squished against the window, staring at everything and anything. Hidan had mentioned that he'd seen this all before, but Deidara didn't want to hear it.

The school was a huge, looming building with several little buildings and greenhouses surrounding it. The roof had a steep slope in most places, with the odd flat part here and there. The building itself was a dull grey-brown that made looking at it depressing… but it might have been the darkness. "Isn't it ugly, un?" Deidara piped up. Hidan nodded as the taxi pulled though the unsurprisingly guarded gate. There wouldn't be any sneaking out in this place.

They pulled up the long drive to a set of huge double doors that were cracked open to let in the cool August air. "But it's huge" Hidan said to himself, recalling that it was supposed to be small.

"Don't let that fool you, un. There's like NO students here…" they stepped out of the taxi and were met by an old man with a suspicious smile on his face.

"Deidara Iwa, Hidan Sangue?" he smirked. They nodded "Roght this way, kids" he led them up a short hallway to a wide common are with three different sets of stairs. "The left stairs go to the girls' dorms. You are under no circumstances allowed to go up them. On the right we have the boys' stairs!" he went up them and down another hallway to room 337. He unlocked it and hended them each an identical key. "This is your room. Tomorrow is Orientation at 8:00 sharp. If you need help finding things you can ask an older student" and he left.

"Holy fucking shit" Hidan scanned their dorm room. The walls were a pleasant shade of blue with different colors splattered on in an random, but purposeful way, they had a full bathroom, a small kitchen area, and a TV near the door.

"I know!' Deidara smiled "I did the walls my self! This has been my dorm since I got here… you know... last year. The only thing different is the extra bed".

"Fucking sweet!" Hidan flopped down on the bed that wasn't decorated with a heavy sigh. The mattress was heavenly. He was already falling asleep as Deidara flicked the lights on and changed. When they went back off and Deidara climbed into his own bed, Hidan was asleep.

…_..:::::: Forest Hollow Preparatory School- Room 337-Mon August 15__th__- 7:35 am ::::::….. _

"Dei…PLEASE, please, please tell me you aren't really going to wear that to class! That outfit was made for a hooker, not a 15-year-old boy!" Hidan shook Deidara by his shoulders.

"No, 'Dan, un!" Deidara smirked "No matter how surprised I am that you didn't cuss and said please…I'm still wearing it" Hidan's face fell.

"S'Your fault if something fucked-up happens" Hidan shook his head as if in remorse and pulled his pajama shirt over his head. "What's the deal with these lame-ass uniforms anyways? I thought this school was s'posed to be laid back or some shit"

"Well, I guess they just like to keep up a nice image to outsiders. We do have free dress on Fridays though, un!" Deidara smiled, snapping on a necklace. Hidan pulled his uniform black pants up, holding the wall to steady himself.

"Well I guess the Fridays thing makes it worth it. That's only, like, 4 fuckin' days outta 7"

"Yeah… I've always wondered what it'd be like to break dress code, un" Deidara tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"Well that's what's up with the shitty outfit, right?"

"Exatomundo, un!"

"WELCOME STUDENTS" the headmaster boomed "LETS BEGIN WITH THE RULES".

"Dei-Chan, where are you…" Hidan mumbled. He had gotten to orientation without Deidara somehow (he had to get directions from some random kid), and it was worrying him.

"First and foremost…" the headmaster began "Your uniforms aren't to be tampered with. No rolling up skirts or shirts, fishnets, high heels, chains, spikes, etc. Hidan's eyes widened as the hall's doors swung open to reveal Deidara…who had broken every single rule the headmaster had just stated.

He walked in a uniform, yes. But a girls' uniform. The hem was rolled up, his shirt tied to reveal his midriff, chains decorating his waist. He even had on 4-inch heels with fishnet stockings. The headmaster fumed "Miss, go put on your uniform properly. Five demerits. Always be punctual, five more" Deidara rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, un" he said. His entrance was just getting steadily more dramatic.

"Five more. Speak to teachers with respect" Deidara sighed.

"Yes, SIR, un"

Hidan was holding back hysterics as Deidara walked away. He deffinetly hadn't thought Deidara actually had the guts to come in the cafeteria like that. The cafeteria was abuzz with what was most-likely gossip until he came back in a boys' uniform, his hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. "Five demerits for being late, young man" the headmaster mumbled.

"You already gave me points for being late, like, five minutes ago. You sent me away to get changed, remember?" the other students gasped. The girl next to Hidan whispered to her friend,

"That was a _boy_?!"

Hidan facepalmed as Deidara scooted in next to him on the bench. "I'm starving, un! Did I miss breakfast? I want some crepes…"

"DIEDARA" he yelled, exasperated.

"Yes, 'Dan, un?" Deidara batted his eyes as smiled. The girl from earlier began to laugh again, pointing at Deidara and Hidan.

"My day just gets worse" Hidan muttered.

And chapter 2!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

_ …..:::::: FHPS- Outside the gym- Thurs August 18th- 9:44am ::::::….. _

"It's only been a few Jashin-Damned days and I'm already fucking skipping" Hidan sighed. Deidara nodded inattentively, staring at his hands. They were supposed to be in gym, but instead they were out behind the gymnasium with a pack of cigarettes and a block of clay, sitting among the old, dysfunctional athletic equipment. The rest of the gym class was a mere 100 feet away on the soccer field 'exercising'.

Hidan exhaled a long stream of smoke into the air, staring at the clouds. "Hey Deidara when did I start smoking?"

"When you started thinking you were indestructible, un" Deidara replied, beating down a lumpy spot in his clay.

"I've thought that since I could fuckin' talk" Hidan rolled his eyes, sitting up from his cloud gazing pose "Was it 6th grade?"

"I remember that Itachi dared you to try them. To steal one from my mom's purse…" Deidara's grip on his art project suddenly smashed it. Hidan crinkled his forehead.

"Don't think about that, Dei" he nudged him with his elbow "He isn't anywhere near here. He's probably in a padded cell being force-fed some refried beans and tacos"

"Maybe, un" he couldn't help but crack a smile as he began to reshape his sculpture.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" a high-pitched scream rang out from the soccer field as a few girl sprinted off it. Hidan and Deidara shared a look as two boys came running their way as well, laughing as they escaped the pissed-off gym coach. They stopped about 10 feet away, leaning on two pillars, hidden from the field's view.

"That was hilarious, Kisame!!!" one of the boys, a redhead, practically yelled, laughing so hard tears were rolling out of his brown eyes and down his pale cheeks.

"Oh, man Sasori!" Kisame, a tall, strapping boy with dark blue hair (and matching skin) laughed "You really got 'um!". The pale, short boy nodded, choking back his laughter.

"But you so totally helped, Kisame! You know, that thing with the 'Hey, sexy'!!!" Sasori began to laugh harder.

"BOYS" the school nurse (whose office was very near to the gym) had found them. Her shrill voice stopped the laughter of the boys. "WHAT, may I ask, has you hiding from Coach Guy?!" Both boys visibly paled.

"Well" Sasori started, turning on an irresistible charm Deidara couldn't help but notice. "We were simply seeking a break in the shade. You see, Kisame's skin condition makes him get sunburned rather fast"

"Then why" the teacher pursed her lips "Were you laughing?"

Sasori smiled his alluring smile "Mr. Hoshigaki, here told an extremely witty joke. The conversation developed from there, and soon we were on the topic of our favorite television show, which had a new episode last night. The main character was in a similar situation to the one in the joke, so we couldn't help but laugh a little longer… the joke was about a beautiful woman who fell in love with one of her students… " Sasori's smooth talk rolled off of his tongue like velvet. If anyone else tried to speak as smoothly, they would surely fail.

Ms. Shizune blushed "Are you trying to smooth talk me, Mr. Akasuna?" she asked, still pink in the face.

"Why ever would I try such a thing, Ms. Shizune?" Sasori leaned forward in a slight bow "I beg your pardon if it seemed so"

"J-just don't let me see you anywhere but class again without a pass, Mr. Akas-suna" Shizune turned and stalked off to hide her red face, her heels clacking along the floor.

Sasori smirked as she walked away "Easy as pie" he turned to Kisame. Deidara and Hidan shared a look of amazement. Sasori and Kisame began to walk away "Even though I'm not into girls, I love to harass them. Wanna go for a senior?"

"Sure, 'Sori" Kisame answered. And then the two boys broke off at a run, racing into the girls dorms to antagonize some young women for the second time that day.

"That boy was FINE, un!" Deidara gasped after a long moment of silence. Hidan rolled his eyes.

"You fucking would think that" Hidan hoisted himself up to a stand and dropped his cigarette into the wet grass, where it quickly went out. "Well we need to get going"

"Okay. UHG I have math next, un. I HATE math… but I love the first day of our permanent schedule. The first couple days are hell, un! You don't know your second elective, and all your classes are alphabetical instead of normal, and uhg!

"I know, and I fucking know. I have math next too and I went through the same last couple of days you did. Plus I-" BIFF. Hidan smacked into something tall and hard. He looked up, and a full 8 inches above him stood Kakuzu. "Oh my Jashin, HIIII!!" Hidan backed up and waved enthusiastically with a wide smile. Kakuzu smiled.

"Hey kid" he was surprised to see Hidan so excited to see him, but couldn't help a small smile. Hidan's grin was so ridiculous. His smile faded as he sniffed. "Something smells like cigarettes" he pointed out.

"Oh, sorry!" Hidan's smile turned sheepish. He took out his box of smokes and showed them to Kakuzu "That would be me"

"At your age? Damn" Kakuzu blinked. He had just recently started smoking, and his parents considered _that_ to be too early.

"Hey, I'm 15! I can do whatever the fuck I want" Hidan growled "And what are you, 16?!"

"17 actually" Kakuzu corrected "My birthday's in December".

"Well la-dee-fuckin'-dahhh" Hidan mocked. Deidara backed out and gave Hidan a warning look before leaving.

"I'll just leave you two here, un…"

And stop calling me kid! My name is HIDAN. You're only two fucking years older than me!"

"Watch your mouth. All you cussing is pissing me off" Kakuzu narrowed his eyes.

"Feh" Hidan growled, walking into the bathroom.

"What the hell? Are you retreating to the bathroom? How CHILDISH" Kakuzu yelled after him.

"I have to take a piss, ass-fuck!" Hidan returned. Kakuzu stormed into the bathroom. Hidan was sitting on the sink with an unlit cigarette in his mouth.

"You do not" Kakuzu scoffed. Hidan shrugged, digging into all of his pockets.

"Fuck" he sighed "I can't find my lighter. You got a light?" he gave Kakuzu a sad look he couldn't refuse.

'_Funny_' Kakuzu thought '_Usually I'm not much of one to fall for puppy-eyes_'. He let the blame fall of the fact that he knew how bad a nicotine addiction could be and flicked his lighter open. Hidan leaned into the flame, letting his cigarette stay in the fire until it caught.

"Thanks man. I need to smoke when I get upset"

"Why are you upset?" Kakuzu scoffed "You're the one offending me with all of your cussing"

"And you're the one treating me like some fucking shits-in-its-pampers baby!"

"Because you act like one"

"Well maybe you just have a stick up your ass"

"Jeez. Just shut up before I kill you" Kakuzu snapped idly.

"I'd love to see you try to fight me!" Hidan cackled, blowing a smoke ring into Kakuzu's face. Kakuzu growled.

"Hidan I wouldn't push it. I have judgment, but you're pushing it"

"You can't hurt me anyways" Hidan waved his hand nonchalantly.

"I'm almost a foot taller than you" Kakuzu stated bluntly, leaning back against the bathroom wall. He looked down at his watch "We're going to be late"

"You're such a tight-ass. I skipped last period, don't think 'we're gonna be late' is fucking gonna get me to walk away from this"

"Walk away from what?"

"We're gonna fight, aren't we?"

"You sound like a little kid asking to go to the pet store."

"I AM NOT A LITTLE FUCKIN KID" Hidan threw his cigarette at Kakuzu, who sidestepped it and grabbed Hidan's wrist.

"Watch it pretty boy" he hissed. Hidan smirked.

"I'd come back with something if I knew what your face looked like" he reached up with his free hand, but Kakuzu practically tossed him across the room into a sink. There was a POP as Hidan slid down.

"Oh shit, are you oka-" he was interrupted as Hidan scrambled up like nothing had happened.

"That all you got?" weather it was because of the intense look in Hidan's eyes, the cockiness of his words, or the anger that Kakuzu had been building up for a while, Kakuzu snapped and lunged at Hidan, catching the small boy's face with a punch.

"Shut up, you little piss-ant" Kakuzu finalized, watching Hidan spit out blood.

"Make me, asshole!" Hidan spat back, thrusting his fist upwards into Kakuzu's chin. Kakuzu pushed him back down, cracking his jaw. Hidan managed to get back up instantly again, flinging himself at Kakuzu. Kakuzu hardly noticed when Hidan tried to twist his arm behind his back.

"Are you really trying?" he swatted Hidan off like a fly.

"Jashin! You are such a fucking PRICK"

"Okay, I'll bite. Who the hell is Jashin?" Kakuzu cocked an eyebrow. Hidan turned beet red.

"WHO IS JASHIN?" he screamed. "

UNIVERSE! HE' 'REAHEATHANFUCKFACEBASTARD!!!" Hidan puffed at the end of his rant, out of breath.

"Damn" Kakuzu muttered "I did not understand a WORD of that…"

"Well that's not fucking surprising seeing as you're too stupid to understand me"

"So this Jashin chick…" Kakuzu examined his watch again. They were five minutes late. Hidan yelled something unintelligible and threw himself at Kakuzu again, fists ready.

Kakuzu dodged Hidan's reckless blow and grabbed his neck when he turned. Hidan didn't even look fazed. Kakuzu snarled and slammed Hidan into the wall by his throat with a sharp crack that could NOT mean good news. Kakuzu was about to let go, thinking he'd gone too far but Hidan started to claw for air instead of looking dazed, his fingernails digging into Kakuzu's flesh. After about three seconds Hidan let go and sighed, examining his fingernails at leisure. "Fine, I give up. So…" he started, looking Kakuzu directly in the eye.

"You just won't go down!" he cried. What did it take to keep this kid down?! Kakuzu was quite shocked that the lack of oxygen wasn't bugging Hidan. He tightened his hold on the younger boy. Hidan sneered "So…" he began to speak again.

"Don't. Say. Another. Word" Kakuzu hissed between clenched teeth. Hidan smiled.

"Dumbass"

Kakuzu snarled and punched Hidan in the face again, right in the center of his nose. As Kakuzu took his punching hand away with a huff Hidan swore. He put three fingers tenderly upon his nose "I think you fucking broke it, Kakuzu!" he growled, but didn't seem to be in any pain.

Kakuzu was awed. His grip on Hidan's throat tightened again as he turned the dumbfounded look on his face into determination '_I'm going to find out how to hurt this kid if it takes all day_'. "Hidan" Kakuzu spoke. The judgment he had spoken of earlier was gone.

"What, dumbass" Hidan replied, trying to stop the blood from pouring out of his nose, still being held up a foot in the air.

"Let's take this outside"

"Haha, like I have a fucking choice. You're holding me a foot off the ground, bastard" Kakuzu noted this and released Hidan so he was on his feet again. Hidan gasped as his knees buckled. A strange expression took over his face as he wobbled upright. Kakuzu thought about helping him up and dismissed it all before Hidan was all the way upright.

"Lets go" he prodded Hidan's back, surprised when Hidan just swayed.

"Hollon" Hidan slurred, holding up a finger "I think I mighta overdone it…" he blinked slowly.

"What's up..?" Kakuzu asked cautiously "You didn't even wince all that time, and NOW it hurts?"

"No… it doesn't hurt"

"Okay! I'll bite. Why in HELL are you not in ANY pain WHATsoever?" Kakuzu threw up his arms "It even hurts where _you_ punched _me_"

"Well, you see dumbass, it's like this. I have whatever that 'disease' is where you don't feel any pain, even when you've got a ten foot pole through your stomach. It's actually kind of great until you don't even realize your hurt until you pass out …that can end up disastrous…That's why I stopped. I'm starting to feel funny. And I… I didn't like that crack I heard when you slammed me into the wall…"

"So if you had a concussion, would you know it?"

"No, my head feels perfectly fucking normal…" Hidan muttered "Except that there's that nagging feeling…"

"Do I need to take you to the nurse?" Kakuzu put a hand on Hidan's shoulder. Hidan collapsed as soon as he touched him. Kakuzu balked "Hidan?!"

Hidan struggled up as fast as he could "I'M FUCKING FINE" he yelled harshly, bolting out the door.

_ ..:::: FHPS-Remedial Math Class- 10:30 ::::.. _

Deidara stared dreamily ahead at the board, his thoughts moving like fireflies from one thing to the next. Oh yeah. He forgot his Ritalin at home. '_Where's Hidan… I wonder if him and Kakuzu resolved whatever they were fighting over. I wonder where that delicious redhead is right now… Damn. He had really pretty eyes, and his hair was sooo cute. Plus his ass wasn't half bad and his face was really well shaped. Like those amazingly hot Greek gods statues… And his lips were really…_'

"DEIDARA" the teacher smacked him over the head with a ruler.

"Huh, what, un?" he looked around. The class was staring at him. "Oh… I guess I really spaced out, un!" he laughed lightly.

"Deidara Iwa" the teacher growled "It is the fourth day of school and you've already fallen asleep twice, spaced out, and forgotten homework."

"I have ADHD!" Deidara smiled innocently up at him "But Ritalin makes me boring, un. So I left it at home"

"Mr. Iwa you are the most…" his words faded into muddled murmurs, not reaching Deidara's ears, as the classroom door opened and Sex-God Sasori waltzed in. It was like a shampoo commercial in Deidara's mind. There was a lot of hair-blowing and sexy smiling. Deidara felt his face turn bright pink as he let a 'HOT DAYYYUHM' escape through his lips. The teacher looked at him quizzically before turning.

"Oh, hello Sasori" he smiled "What can I do for you today?"

"I'm here on behalf of the newspaper club. We're doing a report on remedial students" he flashed a small, closed-mouth smile before taking the only empty seat in the classroom… right next to Deidara. Feeling his face turn a darker shade of red he focused intently on his worksheet.

3) 4A-6 6 + 4(1-2)

"… Oh fuck" he muttered "I hate inequalities, un…"

"So is that what you all are studying today?" Sasori spoke.

'_Is he talking to me..?_' Deidara thought. '_Well he is staring directly at me… wait a sec… my mouth is hanging _open'. He shut his mouth with a snap, blushing again. "Err… yeah… Inequalities, u-un…"

"_A_ is greater than two" Sasori smiled, leaning on his hand.

"Th… thank you, un" Deidara shot back a small smile as he scribbled down the answer.

"Hey is that a speech impediment?" Sasori asked, leaning over so they could speak more quietly. Deidara flushed angrily. Well that was rude. "OH! Sorry. That must seem extremely rude. I was just thinking it was unique. I like it"

"In that case, er, yeah. It is an im-impediment, un" Deidara replied, tapping his pencil against the desk nervously.

"Cool. So what's with your worksheet? Hardly any of it's done, and it's full of doodles…" he snatched the paper, looking it over. His half-lidded rose-colored eyes widened ever-so slightly. "These are really good…so you like art?" Deidara nodded, biting his lip. '_Oh God, is this guy hot_.'

"Yeah… I really like art un" he giggled a little "but I mostly make sculptures and… well… fireworks, I guess. I just really like to blow things up, un… There's nothing like putting an hour into working on something and to see it blow into pieces an inch from your face… It's really freeing, un"

Sasori had a look of shock and possibly disgust on his face "NEVER! I would NEVER destroy a piece of art I created. As it happens, I also like art quite a lot. I make marionettes and puppets, figures to last out a lifetime. They'll be here even when I'm dead. I cannot BELIEVE you'd destroy something so beautiful. It's like blowing a little piece of yourself up…"

"Exactly" Deidara rolled his eyes "That's exactly what's so freeing about it, un. You put a problem you have into each work and watch it sizzle and burn before your eyes… the bright colors blinding you. It's like being high, un!"

"But if you just blow up your problems, the person on the other side might get hurt. You may be helping yourself out, but the person you have a problem with will be gone from your world. You need to resolve problems, because even if you blow something up, the pieces are still there, ready to come bite you later. Its better to nurture your problems and try to repair them…"

"I can see your side, but it's wrong, un" Deidara muttered, suddenly realizing how close their faces had gotten while they were arguing.

"If you say so. But I think YOU are wrong"

"Makes a good debate" Deidara smiled. The bell rang and everyone shuffled around.

"Perhaps we could discuss it over coffee sometime" Sasori smiled slowly.

"I'm in room 337, un. See you there Sunday at 5?"

"You can count on it, brat"

"Brat?"

"You argue like a little kid" Sasori stood up, gathering his tuff. "Thanks for the interview" he winked as he left. Deidara felt his knees go week. Had that just happened?!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry this took so long you guys. Hope you still love it.

Chapter Four:

_..:::: FHPS- Hallway 5- Thurs August 18__th__- 11:03am ::::.. _

Sasori sighed and leaned against the wall, a few feet away from Mr. Ibiki's math class… where he had just met the hottest boy ever. He ran a hand trough his shaggy hair, watching a couple of girls blush as they walked past him. He winked at them, causing them to skitter away with a giggly gasp. '_Man… _' Sasori thought '_I probably shouldn't have asked him out… What will HE think…_' he was just about to consider what his roommate would do when his world was blocked by shadow.

"Whats up, 'Sori?" it was only Kisame, towering above him like a giraffe.

"Hey" Sasori replied, pushing himself smoothly off the wall, instantly blending it into a quick paced walk towards his math class. Kisame fell into step beside him.

"So how'd your interview thingamajig go?" Kisame asked, switching his bag over to his right shoulder.

"_SHIT_!" Sasori smacked his forehead. He had totally spaced the interview! He'd wasted an entire half hour chatting nonsense to Deidara… "Well I guess I'll have to do it later" Sasori grumbled.

"Why? What happened, man?" Kisame cocked an eyebrow.

"I met this guy, okay?" Sasori began. Kisame rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Good Lord…. That's all I need to know… I'll knock before I come into your room" Kisame shook his head in disgust.

"What? He was kinda cute in a girly way! And he likes art! Although his views on the subject are completely screwed up, he still shares a common interest with me. Besides. We're just having coffee on Sunday!" Sasori exclaimed.

"Hey, hey! I'm just going with what I know about your overactive sex life, Sasori!" Kisame threw up his hands innocently "_Any_ways… I didn't study for our quiz today, so I'll be hiding on the roof again. Tell Teach' I'm sick or something" he waved and split off to the right. Sasori rolled his eyes and sighed irritably. His sex life was not _that_ overactive.

_..:::: FHPS- Room 337- Thurs Aug 18__th__-11:23am ::::.. _

"FUCK!" Hidan screamed, punching the wall "FUCK, FUCK, FUCK" he repeated himself. _Click_.

"OH MY GOSH, UN!" Deidara gasped, staring at Hidan. He was halfway in the door, the keys still in the lock. Blood was dripping down Hidan's knuckles and out of the cut on his lip. "Hidan, what happened?" Deidara tossed the keys on the counter and rushed over to his friend.

"Nothing happened" Hidan groaned, setting his head against the wall.

"Where were you last hour, un!" Deidara took Hidan's hand in his own hands, carefully examining his knuckles.

"I was fighting with Kakuzu. The bastard wouldn't stop fucking calling me a fucking baby. Then that fucking asshole shit-faced fucker had the fucking nerve to make me tell him about my damn disease and asking if I needed to _go to the nurse_" he spat, sitting on his bed. His breathing was heavy.

"Hidan your eyes are crossed, un…" Deidara cooed, touching his friend's face.

"Don't you fucking dare ask me if I'm fine, Deidara"

"I know you hate that, un" Deidara stroked his back.

"Is my hand broken?" Hidan pouted.

"I don't think so, un. You need bandages, though. Calm down, un. I can hear you breathing"

"My head is heavy" Hidan ignored Deidara and continued to huff.

"Lay down, un" he came back with bandages.

"I hate when people ask if I'm okay" Hidan growled.

"I know, un' Deidara smiled, unrolling about a foot-an-a-half of the bandages.

"My mom's fucking boyfriend always asks if I'm fine. He calls me kid…" Hidan whispered, barely audible.

"Yeah" Deidara smiled gently down at Hidan, whose eyes were fluttering shut.

"I hope I'm okay…" Hidan whispered.

"You'll be fine, un. I promise" Deidara finished wrapping his hand and hoisted Hidan up by his good arm.

"So why are you in our room? Don't you have class?" Hidan stared at his hand.

"Well I forgot my books so I had to come get them" Deidara pulled a butterfly band-aid out of the box and put it over a cut on Hidan's lip. "Don't bite your lips, remember, un. And don't use your right hand"

"I know" Hidan grumbled bitterly "I fucking know"

"Don't be so sour at Kakuzu, okay, un? He didn't know about it"

"I know" Hidan mumbled.

"And try to have a good day, okay?" he smiled lovingly at Hidan, who smiled back.

"Okay, Mom" he elbowed Deidara who hugged him before grabbing his books and leaving.

_..:::: FHPS- The school roof, somewhere over the library- Thurs Aug 18__th__- 11:24am ::::.. _

There he stood, the king of the entire world. Nothing could hold him back. He looked around the school grounds with a hefty sigh that shook his frail form, smiling bitterly to himself. A sudden gust of wind caused him to shiver, his hair whipping and flailing around his porcelain-like face freely in the wind. He hummed quietly as he enjoyed the wind. He didn't like anything in the world as much as wind.

The wind was free, and disobedient, and wild, and…..so… _independent_. He fingered the necklace he constantly wore, letting out a tart laugh.

How he wished he could join the wind. He wanted that freedom and sense of self-sufficiency. He'd never get that independence as long as he was being watched. Even after being released from that mental hospital in Texas he'd been monitored. There were the constant sessions with a psychiatrist, the controlled pills, no ability to go off school grounds… He glared at the front gates with a hostile grin. He just needed time.

But he didn't _have_ time. He could join the wind so easily…He took a long, jerky step towards the edge of the roof. All it would take was one more tiny… little… step…

He'd only just put one foot off the edge before he heard a slam as the door to the roof swung open. "Damn door" he heard the person mumble, a boy about his age if he wasn't mistaken.

"Who's there!" the suicidal boy wheeled around, his long, dark, black hair swirling around him like a fan.

The other occupant of the roof seemed startled "I didn't know anyone else came up here..."

"I could say the same…Who are you?" he hissed, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"My name's Kisame Hoshigaki, you?"

"None of your concern" the raven-haired boy's voice was clearly angry, but his face stayed calm and unemotional. The intense glare the icy grey eyes were shooting him sent shivers down his spine.

'And _I should leave it at that…_" Kisame thought to himself, a drop of sweat sliding down his neck. Something wasn't right here. "So, do you come here often?" Kisame asked, trying to break the deadly silence. He stalked over to sit on the edge of the roof, a good 5 feet away from the other boy.

The boy equivocated "I come here…"

Kisame nodded, "I see, then"

"Yes, I'm sure you do see quite well" the boy said mysteriously, a sour edge to his voice.

"Um… I guess. So what was up with that er… foot off the edge…? If you were gonna kill yourself, I think you should talk to the counselor…"

Something sparked behind the other boy's eyes "Do **not** tell _anyone_" his voice was frighteningly cold.

"I'm going to if _you_ don't. There's obviously something wrong with you" despite the confidence in his voice, Kisame was getting nervous and fidgety. Every nerve ending in his body told him that this kid was bad news.

"Don't …" his tone was on the verge of venomous.

"Fine. I won't tell anyone. But I'm going to keep an eye on you for a while. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you ended up killing yourself anyway after this" his sense of danger was gone. A little but of helplessness was all he was getting now.

"Leave me alone"

"I can't, sorry…"

"Hn" he huffed, giving up. What was the point? He'd end up dead eventually anyway.

"I need to know what to call you, though"

"No"

"Okay then. How about…" Kisame tapped his chin "Angel?"

"What?"

"You're really pretty. So I thought it would be fitting"

"PRETTY?"

"Yeah. Aren't you a girl?" Kisame cocked his head. The other boy flushed red and started to leave. Kisame got up to follow "Well aren't you?"

"NO"

"Oh God…"

_..:::: FHPS-Room 542- Fri Aug 19__th__- 7:38am ::::.. _

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP….

"Jeez…" Sasori muttered, looking at the time on his clock. He sat up, his joints popping. He stretched towards the sun, letting out a big yawn. His arms were grabbed.

_Bam. _Feathers shot up into the air as Sasori was slammed into his pillows. He grimaced. "Good morning sunshine" a voice curled up in the air around Sasori, his ears hurting with the false sweetness of it.

"Good Morning, Roomie" Sasori replied, shifting his hips off to the side and yanking his arms back. Their captor let go and sat down next to Sasori.

"So how did you sleep…" Sasori's roommate drawled.

"Badly" Sasori replied, eyeing the empty sleeping pill bottle on his bedside table.

"That's too bad…" his thin lips curled into a feral grin "I like you well rested…" he trailed a finger up Sasori's arm.

"Stop it, Orochimaru" Sasori sighed "it's too early for games. He lifted himself up of the bed slowly, meandering over to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. He poured out a few different pills and choked them down with a cough.

"It's never too early for _my_ games" a hand reached downwards and Sasori sidestepped it.

"Just stop" he replaced the bottles into the cabinet and put toothpaste in his toothbrush.

"But Sasori…" Orochimaru put his head in the crook of Sasori's neck. Sasori shoved his toothbrush in his mouth.

"Nahbuuusss" Sasori garbled, spitting "No buts. I don't like you like that. In fact I don't like you period" he rinsed his toothbrush out.

"That's not what it felt like this summer…" Orochimaru hissed, putting a hand on Sasori's chest. Sasori's face grew hot.

"Stop it. This summer was a one time thing. You know I get around… you were nothing special. Unemotional. Detached. _Apathetic_. Whatever synonym you use… that's what I am" he swatted the hand away.

"Don't reject me" Orochimaru persisted, scowling. He leaned down into Sasori's face.

"STOP IT" Sasori turned.

"You know you like me"

"STOP"

"Come on…"

"I FOUND SOMEONE ELSE" Sasori screamed. Orochimaru looked taken aback for a split second before his toothy grin flashed.

"I see. Well I guess we'll have to wait to see how that turns out. If I find this boy, _I'll_ decide that outcome…" was all he said before slinking out the door.

"Damn asshole…" Sasori leaned heavily on the counter. He gulped down his fear… Orochimaru was not known for _idle_ threats… He shook it off. He needed some coffee.

_..:::: FHPS- Breakfast- Fri Aug 19__th__- 8:23am ::::.. _

"Hey Kisame, who's your friend?" Sasori slid into his place at the breakfast table, a granola bar and a huge mug of coffee gripped in his hands.

"I don't know" Kisame replied, staring across the table at 'Angel'.

"Okay… Well hi" Sasori waved at 'Angel', shooting Kisame a 'Dude-What-The-Hell' look.

"I'm calling him Angel because he won't tell me his name. I thought he was a girl yesterday and he hasn't spoken to me since. But I have to keep following him"

"…Why?" Sasori unwrapped his food.

"Well…" 'Angel's' head jerked towards Kisame "Because… we're…er… friends!" Kisame smiled a little awkwardly.

"Project" 'Angel' muttered.

"Oh!" Sasori nodded "Gotchya. It's one of those stupid projects that we have to do where they make you be friends with your partner. Like for Parenting!"

"If that's what it takes to make this conversation stop" replied Kisame tartly.

"Clever" 'Angel' mumbled, resting his head on his arms. Sasori shot him a skeptical look before chugging his coffee down.

"Well I guess I'll be seeing you then, Kisame and …uh… Angel"

"Not Angel" 'Angel' sent Sasori a death glare that sent a chill down his spine.

"Okay then. Bye Kisame…" Sasori walked away, shaking his head.

"You don't have to be so cold to people" Kisame looked 'Angel' square in the eyes. 'Angel' scowled back.

"Asshole"

"This one word shit is really annoying"

"Hn" 'Angel' glowered.

"Fine. I'm going off to gym. Where are you headed?"

"Science" 'Angel' replied, surprising even himself with cooperation.

"Well I'll walk you" Kisame held out his arms to the side, letting 'Angel' lead the way. 'Angel' grimaced, but started walking nonetheless, grabbing his books on the way over.

"So Angel, what's with the one word thing anyways?"

"My name _is not Angel_!" he cried, crossing his arms. Kisame blinked,

"Well what am I supposed to call you?"

"How about my _name_?"

"I would if I knew it"

"…" he turned bright red as he realized that he'd screwed up.

"Can't have it both ways" Kisame smiled softly and 'Angel' turned redder.

"_Itachi_" he growled "My name is _Itachi_… now _stop calling me Angel_!"

"Okay _Itachi._ So where's your science class?"

"Leave me alone!" Itachi's voice remained calm and level, only a small shaking in his hand gave his anger away.

"Fine. But only if you promise me you won't try to kill yourself again" Kisame whispered.

"_NO_" Itachi hissed "I do _not_ make promises! GOD, just leave me the hell alone! You're the first person since my brother to piss me off like this! You're such a _nuisance_!" Itachi sprinted off down the hall.

"HEY!" Kisame bolted off after him, catching his arm "Don't run away from me! I can't let you die!"

"You don't. Even. _Know me_" Itachi spat.

"I care too much about people…" Kisame's voice was so soft Itachi couldn't reply. The look he was receiving from Kisame's yellow eyes was hypnotizing. He shook his head vigorously.

"Just _go_"

"I promise I will if you convince me you're ready to be left alone"

"How do you propose I do that?" Itachi's teeth ground together audibly.

"Tell me everything" Kisame gave him a look that made his blush again. '_Fuck_…' Itachi thought.

"I'm going to kill you" the glare Itachi was giving him caused him to release his hand as if he'd been burned. Itachi took off down the hall again. But this time Kisame stayed put.

_..:::: FHPS- Lunch- Fri Aug 19__th__- 12:15 pm ::::.. _

"Hidan, are you you... awake, un?" Deidara waved a hand in front of Hidan's face. Hidan was stirring his pudding with an empty look on his face. "Hidan, un? Please answer me so I don't have to ask about your well-being"

"I'm tired" Hidan muttered, dropping his spoon into the pudding cup "I feel like shit. I hate life"

"Well that's the spirit, un!" Deidara put a hand on his arm. A shadow passed over Deidara and settled over Hidan. Deidara looked up.

"Errr… hi Kakuzu, un" he made a nervous face. Kakuzu picked up on it.

"Is it a bad time?" he asked gruffly, tugging at his collar.

"Sit down, fuckwad" Hidan grumbled. Kakuzu sat gingerly next to him, setting a Gatorade and a sandwich in front of him.

"Sorry about yesterday" Kakuzu cleared his throat.

"Don't sweat it. I pissed you off. Alls fuckin' fair"

"That's a relief. Are you sure you're okay?"

Hidan's eyes flashed "I. Am fucking. _Fine_" he said.

"Okay, good"

"Don't ever ask me that again" Hidan added.

"Would it be safe to ask why?"

"Yeah I guess. My mom's kiss-ass boyfriend is constantly bitching at me to check myself out for injuries and asking if I'm '_fine_'. He calls me 'kid' and treats me like I'm fucking _six_" Hidan shoved his pudding cup away "I feel like I'm gonna puke and I'm in a seriously fucking bad mood, partly thanks to you. So if your business is done I'd like you to leave"

"Alright, sorry" Kakuzu muttered, gathering his things.

"And stop being so damn timid around me. I'm not made of fucking glass" Hidan hid his head in his arms.

"K… Kakuzu, un? Could I talk to you real quick before you go?" Deidara gestured away from the table. Kakuzu nodded.

"Sure" he walked off with Deidara. They stopped just outside the cafeteria, Kakuzu leaning on the wall, and Deidara behind the door.

"Listen. Hidan isn't usually this lifeless, un. I think you'll like him better once he's himself. He's been going through some pretty tough crap lately. His dad died a couple years ago, and his older sister moved out, un. When his little sister heard about Hidan leaving for school she ran away … It's been tough, un"

"Wow. That seriously sucks. I feel so bad for what I did yesterday…"

"Don't. Hidan needs tough friends who push him around a little, un. I get by with being the mommy figure because he needs one right now, and I've known him since we were 8…"

"Okay. Well I guess I'll see you later. Try to cheer Hidan up, will ya?" Kakuzu smiled at Deidara.

"Will do. I'm just glad to know someone's interested in being his friend, un!" Deidara kissed both of Kakuzu's cheeks before bouncing back off to sit with Hidan, who was now asleep.

_..:::: FHPS- Room 337- Fri Aug 19__th__- 6:10 pm (right after dinner) ::::.. _

"Hidan, un…" Deidara called, shutting the dorm door behind him. Hidan was face down on his mattress, a half-eaten snack on his nightstand. "Hey… uh there's some news I need to share with you, un" he jostled Hidan awake.

"I'm fucking uuuuup" Hidan whined, rolling over "What's this news that's so fucking important you had to wake me up?" he stared at Deidara groggily.

"Well… Don't get mad, un. I can see you're already in a bad mood, un. So I brought good news to go with the bad!" he smiled, but returned to neutral when Hidan scowled at him.

"Give me the bad half first" he demanded.

"Well… dorm space was tight because of renovations they're doing, so… we have a new roommate, un! Yayyyy…" Deidara cheered weakly. Hidan's temper flared.

"Fucking ex_cuse me_?" He sat bolt upright.

"The good half is that it's someone you know, un!" Deidara encouraged.

"Who the fuck is it?"

"Hey Deidara did you tell him yet… oh…" Kakuzu waved sheepishly from the door. Hidan's jaw dropped.

"Get the fuck outta here…" he groaned, flopping backward onto his pillows.

"Well… I have to go anyway. Enjoy your moping" Kakuzu waved, and with a secret roll of his eyes he was walking off.

"Please tell me there's more good news" Hidan laid his arm over his eyes.

"OH! Yes, un! Today is the first Friday of tenth grade" he paused dramatically. When Hidan gave no indication he got the idea Deidara sighed and smiled wider "You know what that _means_ right, un?"

"Not quite" Hidan blinked stupidly, mulling over every possible explanation.

"In sixth grade when… When your dad died, un… We promised each other that on the first weekend of tenth grade we'd go out and get so drunk we couldn't remember our names, un!"

"Really..? I don't remember that. But we've gotten drunk before. Hell I've been drunk _twelve_ different times. What's so special about _now_?" Hidan scratched his head.

"We got these, un" Deidara pulled out two fake IDs with a devious smirk. Hidan's eyes lit up.

"And now we don't have to wash of the X's" he mimicked Deidara's smirk.

"Exactly…"

_..:::: FHPS- The School gates- Fri Aug 19__th__- 10:00 pm ::::.. _

"Did you even fucking _think this through_?" Hidan hissed, pressing his back against the wall even harder. Deidara shook his head violently, jingling his earrings and flinging glitter everywhere. They were currently hiding from the school guards who had caught them outside. "So now I'm stuck hiding with no booze, no cigarettes, and a fag covered in fucking eye make-up and glitter?"

"I'd be careful who you're calling a fag, Mr. Size 0 Skinny Jeans, un!" Deidara stuck his tongue out.

"Oh shut up! I'm not covered in glitter and I don't smell like a stripper"

"And how would you know what a stripper smells like, un?" Deidara giggled.

"Well… uhhhh… SHUT UP"

"_SHH_!" Deidara dove behind the next wall "_Someone's coming_" he pulled Hidan back with him. The sound of keys jingling drew closer to them, and then came the quiet murmur of someone talking.

"Yeah, Kisame. No seriously, I'll be fine without you. Have fun babysitting Angel or whatever you're doing with her. Okay fine,_ Itachi_… Him? Whoa. Well whatever dude, I gotta go" there was snap as someone shut their phone. He turned the corner and looked right at them. "Hi there" he peered closer, squinting. He smiled "Hello Deidara" it was Sasori.

"Sasori, un!" Deidara jumped up, leaving Hidan in the corner.

"What are you doing out here? And who's he?" Sasori pointed at Hidan, who growled.

"That's my best friend, Hidan. Oh, and we were trying to sneak out, un… but we got caught…" he pouted.

"Well you just don't know how to sneak out _right_" Sasori winked. Hidan mimed barf as Deidara giggled. "Follow me" Sasori gestured to the right. They trailed behind him as he turned a few corners, the wet grass squeaking under their sneakers (and in Deidara's case, boots). "Here we are" Sasori held out his arm to the student garage. And there at the door was a bright red Bentley.

"How the fuck could you afford that?" Hidan gasped.

"A lot of saving… and coming from money helps a lot too" Sasori replied.

"Fucking lucky dickhead" Hidan moped. He didn't even have a bike. Sasori slid in and opened the passenger side door for Deidara, while Hidan was sent into the back.

"Ignore him, un! Thanks for helping us get out… How exactly are we getting through the gate?"

"As long as you have a driver's license you can go any time you want. You just have to be back before curfew… but no one ever gets back before curfew. They take your room key at the gate so you have to go through them to get out and in, though" Sasori started up the car.

"That's cool, un! I don't get my license until summer" Deidara smiled as they pulled out of the garage.

"Well you can drive once you get it" Sasori smirked, stopping at the front gate. He flashed his license and handed over his keys. The guard looked over Deidara and Hidan questioningly before letting them pass. "So where are you two going this late?" Sasori asked.

"Well someone suggested this club to us. They apparently can't tell an ID from a giraffe, un" Deidara giggled "It's on Fifth Street or something, un"

"Oh, really? I'm actually headed over there too" Sasori side-glanced at Deidara as they stopped at a red light.

"Oh my gosh, really?" Deidara squealed "That's awesome, un!"

"Yeah. That's fucking amazing until you remember that this is _our _night" Hidan grumbled. Deidara's face fell.

"Oh yeah, un! Sorry Sasori, I've had this planned since sixth grade, un" Deidara sighed. Sasori shook his head.

"Forget about it. We still have Sunday, right?" Sasori said.

"Yeah, un" Deidara smiled.

"BELLLLLLLLLLLHG" Hidan mocked from the back, earning a fierce glare from Deidara via the rearview mirror.

Soon enough they were at _Club Incandescence_, a large brick building with about 75 neon lights that looked a lot like it was a Stripper Joint in some other life. They parked around back and got out, breathing in the smell of booze and cigarette smoke… and that hobo over there.

"Whoa… this place is fucking huge!' Hidan exclaimed as he flashed his fake ID. Deidara looked up at the ceiling, nodding vigorously. Hidan's suspicions of it being a stripper joint at some point were confirmed as they passed a stage with a few poles (that were now rusted and covered in stickers from the bands that had played there) scattered on it. Dance music blared from speakers above their heads, and people moved together up on the top balcony in some sort of hyper-sexual conga line.

A bunch of tiny disco balls hung from the lower ceiling above the long bar, one hitting Deidara in the face as they both took a stool. Sasori waved with a smile and was off to find his friends. Hidan's smile widened as the bar tender asked them what they wanted. "Whatever's good" Hidan replied.

"Drink enough and all of it tastes amazing" the bartender replied with a deep chuckle.

"Then we'll have the strongest shit in the house" Hidan ordered, two shots almost instantly being slung at him.

"Count of three, un!" Deidara picked his up.

"1"

"2, un!

'3!" they slung them back, spluttering.

"Oh gross!" Deidara coughed, wiping his mouth. His head, however, was already fuzzy. Hidan smiled wider and wider until Deidara broke and ordered two more.

_..:::: Club Incandescence- Fri Aug 19__th__- 11:56pm ::::.. _

"Due whoozat band playin and shit?" Hidan slurred to Deidara, who was currently being flirted with by a gang of guys who thought '_she_ was cute'.

"Ermmm… I can'see from here, but it sorta looks like som'n I know, uuun…" Deidara replied, peering close enough at the band to fall from his chair. He hit the floor and was instantly swarmed by the boys surrounding him. Hidan rolled his eyes before laughing hysterically.

"Whoozit look like?" he yelled to Deidara, who was still being 'helped up'.

"Kinna looks like 'Akuzu, un…" he scrambled up back onto his barstool, his face flushed.

"He's a fucking GUY" Hidan yelled at Deidara's newest fans. Every single boy looked at each other, turned red, and walked off "Really? I'm not mad any more… Lezzgo talk to um"

"Mmm, nuhh-uhh, un! I'm gonna drink smore"

"You've had fucking eleven-dy already!" Hidan exaggerated, throwing his arms out wide.

"Well excuuuuse me, un! I happen to only have had about ten-dy. You had more'n me"

"Screw you, faggot. Imma go talk to Kakuzu ta see if he can give us a ride home" Hidan grumbled, obviously forgetting who they came here with.

"You do that, un" Deidara sipped at something in his hand, screwing up his face "I'll be here"

"Fine" Hidan muttered, swaying a little before attempting to walk towards the stage. Deidara waved at him before turning back around to order something else. A little floating thought flew through Hidan's mind for a second '_I wonder how much all of this is gonna cost…_' The thought was gone as quickly as it came, Hidan distracted by Kakuzu holding a bass on stage. The song didn't even begin to register in Hidan's mind as he wandered up to the stage, barely a foot from being in contact with it. Kakuzu looked down and their eyes met.

"What are you doing here?" Kakuzu mouthed, trying to keep the rhythm up. Hidan grinned stupidly, gesturing to Deidara at the bar. Kakuzu nodded, fumbling on a note. The lead guitarist, a tall boy with bright orange hair, turned to shoot him a quizzical look, noticing Hidan almost strait away. He glowered down at him, and then turned to glare at Kakuzu. Hidan turned his gaze to the guitarist, looking deep into his eyes, which seemed to spiral around. He was already dizzy from the alcohol and the seeming spiral of light greys and brighter whites in the guitarist's eyes pushed him over the edge.

"Holy shit" he slurred, before face-planting into the side of the stage. There was a screech from the guitar, and the bass buzzed as the strings were plucked too hard. The singer turned around now, noticing the unusual lack-luster from her band. She saw Kakuzu trying to play and looking intently at something on the ground, and her boyfriend was wandering over to join him.

Hidan looked up at the ceiling, feeling a dull sensation in his mouth that told him something was wrong there. He was too drunk to care, though, and continued staring up as the colors above him began to blur together. Soon three faces peered curiously down at him. He immediately recognized Kakuzu and the guitarist, but looked curiously at the blue girl-shaped blur above him. He unintentionally giggled, wondering why he was getting so much attention. He heard a long, deep sigh from above him and a very dull, muffled "I'll take him home guys. Sorry about..." Hidan didn't hear the rest as his eyes fluttered shut.

_..:::: Club Incandescence- Sat Aug 20__th__- 12:09am ::::.. _

"Jus' one more I swear, un" Deidara growled at the bartender, who shot him a look of knowing and agitation, before sliding one shot of something clear to him.

"I hope that's not Absinth" a smooth voice murmured from behind him. Deidara giggled as he turned around, almost surprised to see it was Sasori.

"Hello Danna, un" he waved a little, downing his newly acquired shot with fervor, slopping some over his shirt. Sasori chuckled lightly, taking the now empty glass away from Deidara.

"What's that supposed to mean, Brat?" he set the glass down, turning to discreetly tell the bartender to not allow Deidara any more drinks.

"Well in Japan, where m'dad is from, it means Master!" Deidara threw his hands up, as if in celebration.

"What exactly am I the master of, may I ask?" Sasori leaned his cheek on his arm, a playful smirk reaching his lips.

"Anything you wanna be, un" Deidara smiled.

"I'm afraid you're too drunk for me to do anything like that with rightful conscience, Brat. How about I just take you home?" Sasori started to get up off his chair, but was stopped by Deidara grabbing his arm.

"You should stay n drink with me" he smiled alluringly, and Sasori gulped.

"How would we get home then? I can't drink and drive; I already have one DUI…" he wanted to stay really badly.

"If you say so. Woulda been fuuuun, un"

Really, really badly.

"L… let's just get you home. Hidan already left"

"Mmmmmmkay Deidara leaned on Sasori heavily, trying not to topple over.

_..:::: FHPS- The Boy's Dorm Space - Sat Aug 20__th__- 12:45 am ::::.. _

"What is your dorm number, Deidara?" Sasori asked, trying to keep Deidara (who was a full four inches taller then him) upright.

"Uhhhhhhm… I dun 'member…" Deidara slurred sleepily. Sasori almost face-palmed.

"Okay then… I might be able to take you to my dorm, but you have to be out by 5:00, okay?"

"Whatever you say, Danna" Deidara nuzzled Sasori's head.

"Stop that" Sasori grumbled, pushing the blonde off of him. Deidara pouted, but didn't try anything again… until they were in Sasori's dorm.

"C'mooon. There's a bed right there, you wouln' be my first, un" Deidara was one step away from undressing Sasori. Sasori refused however much he didn't want to.

"You're drunk. Now go to sleep, this is my bed" he pushed Deidara onto his bed, going into the bathroom. By the time he came out, Deidara was passed out, drooling on his pillows. Seeing no harm in it, he settled next to him, falling asleep almost instantly despite the fact that all he could smell was strippers and booze.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N Their pasts unfold, and secrets are revealed. I hope I please you

Chapter Five:

_..:::: FHPS- Dorm Room 542- Saturday Aug 20__th__- 9:30 am ::::.. _

"Mmmm" Sasori groaned, eyes fluttering open. Something had just hit him in the chest. He rolled onto his side, his bones practically creaking, coming face-to-face with Deidara. His muddled mind mulled over everything that had happened the previous night, coming to the conclusion that nothing had happened he need be worried about. He smiled softly at his newly acquired friend, gently pulling the arm that had hit him in the chest off.

"I thought you'd never wake up" Sasori froze... his alarm hadn't gone off... it was 9:31 am… "I knew you were out to have fun, but I had no idea you'd bring home a prostitute" the silky voice curled around in Sasori's mind as he processed the situation he was now in, his mind whirring to try and find a solution.

"H-hello, Orochimaru" Sasori faltered, sitting up slowly. His roommate was in the kitchen area leaning on the counter, a cup of coffee in his hand, and an angry frown on his thin lips.

"I thought you were above this. Besides, didn't you meet some boy yesterday?" Orochimaru fiddled with the handle of his mug, wrinkles forming in between his eyebrows as he grew steadily more upset.

"If it makes you feel better I told him to go home before you got home. I'll just tell him to go home and we won't need to discuss this any further" Sasori tried to end the conversation there.

"No. Don't bother waking him. I'm still puzzled on how he got in your bed in the first place"

"Well you have the wrong idea. Incase you didn't notice, he and I are fully clothed. I haven't even kissed him, much less anything else" Sasori sighed in exasperation.

"So… he isn't a prostitute. Then he must be the boy you met" Orochimaru smirked deviously, a plan already forming in his slimy mind.

"Uhh-err… No… Wh-what gave you that idea?" Sasori muttered. This wasn't good news for either him or Deidara. Orochimaru was infamous for making sure all of Sasori's previous or current interests stayed away from him.

"Of course he isn't" Orochimaru clicked his tongue "Anyway Sasori, dear, I'm off to do things" he set his half-gone coffee on the counter by the sink and bustled out the door. Sasori ran a hand over his face, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. His heart pounded in his chest, the rhythm almost like music.

He hadn't even know Deidara for a full 24 hours, and he'd already put him in immediate danger. What was he going to tell the kid… "Mmmmmm good morning, Sasori, un" Deidara muttered, gradually sitting up. Sasori smiled weakly.

"Hey, Brat" he replied "Do you want some coffee?"

"No, un. I get pretty bad hangovers, especially after being that drunk. I don't want to puke just yet" Deidara looked down at his dirty clothes with disgust "Sorry I got glitter on your bed, un…"

"It's okay, people have gotten a lot worse things in my bed" Sasori muttered nonchalantly.

Deidara balked "Errr… okay. So anyways, have you heard from Hidan? I remember we didn't get back with him, un… Sorry about last night in general by the way. Hidan is usually there to stop me going home with people, un"

"No I haven't, sorry. And it's okay. I'm sorry I just about let you succeed" Sasori smiled loftily, stretching off the bed "Thank God it's Saturday"

"Oh yeah, un. Well I aught to go look for my friend, un. Thanks for letting me stay the night, Danna" he smiled before also getting up out of bed.

"You're welco… Wait, what did you just call me?" Sasori held up a finger to point, but Deidara was already out the door.

_..:::: FHPS- Room 337- Saturday Aug 20__th__ - 10:49 am ::::.. _

"Oh Jashin…" Hidan shot bolt upright in bed, whirling around. He was panicking; the last thing he had been aware of was the ceiling and the taste if blood in his mouth and Kakuzu saying something… he was in his room. He let out a sigh f relief, his fright fading quickly. Where was Deidara…? "Deidara?" he croaked.

"Just me" Kakuzu spoke brightly from across the room, where he was setting up his bed.

"Oh, hey" Hidan grimaced "Am I injured in any way?"

"You bit your tongue pretty hard when you hit your jaw on the stage last night" Kakuzu replied. His eyes crossed slightly as he fit together two pieces of metal that looked like part of a headboard.

"Oh. Well fuck" he sighed, swinging his legs over the side of his bed. He was in his PJs. "Did you change me?" Hidan asked incredulously.

"Don't be stupid" Kakuzu scoffed "My friend Konan did. You had blood all over your shirt and you barfed on your pants on the way home"

"So some chick I don't even fucking know undressed me?" Hidan gaped.

"Basically" Kakuzu replied curtly, trying to shove two pieces that obviously didn't fit into each other, failing epically.

"Well that's pretty fuckin' cool" Hidan nodded in satisfaction "Was she the one with blue hair?"

"Yeah, she has blue hair. But she also has a boyfriend, our guitarist, Pein. Anyway, I was under the impression you were in a relationship" Kakuzu glanced up at Hidan for a moment before going back to his assembly.

"What the fuck? With who?" he blinked stupidly.

"Well, Deidara, of course" Kakuzu acted like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"OH JASHIN, NO!" Hidan made a disgusted face, crinkling his nose up "Why in all the levels of Hell would you think THAT?"

"Well he's fantastically gay and keeps hugging you. Plus you look pretty girly yourself" Hidan was positively speechless for a moment.

"I am not fucking girly! Even if I was gay- which I'm SO fucking not by the way- I would be the man in the relationship! And Deidara and I are practically brothers! We've been friends since we were eight years old, you dick" Hidan hadn't even told Deidara where he thought his sexuality fell, and he didn't plan to let this asshole in on it.

"I really don't care" Kakuzu muttered sincerely, concentration lines wrinkling his forehead.

"Well I don't care that you don't care" Hidan grumbled childishly, loping off towards the bathroom. "I'm gonna take a shower". Kakuzu ignored him, too immersed in his project at this point. He didn't even jump when Hidan slammed the door as hard as he could.

_..:::: FHPS- Dorm Room 337- Saturday Aug 20__th__ - 11:33am ::::.. _

"Hidan?" Deidara opened their dorm door, putting the keys in the bowl by the entry. All he found was Kakuzu sitting in the middle of the room with what looked like a tangle of metal pieces. "Oh, hi Kakuzu, un. Um… what exactly are you doing?"

"I'm attempting to piece together this infernal headrest for my bed…"

"Oh. Not the best with mechanical things, I see, un. Have you seen Hidan anywhere? I didn't manage to get home with him last night and ended up in a friend's apartment all night"

"Yeah, he's in the shower" Kakuzu gestured roughly to the door on his right.

"Thanks, un" Deidara grabbed some clothes off his bed. Stalking over to the bathroom door, he knocked lightly before entering "Hey Dan" he waved to Hidan through the frosted glass.

"JASHIN ALMIGHTY" Hidan jumped, sending the soap over the top of the shower into the trashcan. Deidara rolled his eyes and fished it out, handing it back over the top to Hidan. "You scared me, Blondie" Hidan grumbled irately.

"Yeah well your yelling is hurting my head. I know you don't understand this, but be quiet, un" Deidara snapped back. Hidan rolled his eyes, rinsing all the soap off his body.

"So where the fuck did you go last night?" he asked.

"I ended up going back to Sasori's" Deidara answered indifferently.

"What?" Hidan gasped, dropping the shampoo bottle on his foot "You've known the douche-bag, what, twenty fucking hours now?"

"I just slept over Dan, I didn't sleep with him, un"

"Oh… okay good"

"So how'd you get home last night, un?"

"Kakuzu took me home. I passed out after I hit my face on the stage" Hidan replied, rinsing shampoo out of his hair and starting to put in a generous helping of Deidara's fruity conditioner.

"Ohhhhh realllllly, un?" Deidara raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah. He said I was pretty shit-faced… I guess we overdid it a bit, huh?"

"Maybe, un" Deidara shrugged, looking around the bathroom idly, waiting for his turn in the shower. There were three separate shelves in the medical cabinet, one for each occupant of the dorm. Deidara's was filled with fruity smelling glitter lotion, hair clips, and makeup. Hidan's shelf had nothing but some bandages and a few bottles of calcium pills, sleeping pills, and other such things. His eyes wandered down to Kakuzu's shelf inquisitively. He was met with an odd sight. Everything was in a box, clearly labeled, but in a number code Deidara could not understand.

He gingery picked up the first box, lifting off the lid. A long, thick needle and antiseptic were neatly rolling around inside. With a wary glance at the items, Deidara quickly replaced the box. He curiously grabbed the next one, surprised to find three spools of glossy black thread in three different thicknesses within. He hesitantly reached for the third box. It was almost twice as big as the others, and a certain air of caution surrounded it. He tried opening it, but was met by a lock. He cocked an eyebrow, now extremely curious.

"What are you doing?" Hidan was out of the shower, a towel slung low around his hips. Deidara shook his head quickly and returned the box to its original place.

"Nothing, un!" he pulled his shirt over his head, making flurries of glitter fall to the floor. "Now shoo, I need to take a shower. I smell like death, un" he pushed Hidan out. Hidan chuckled and shut the door behind him.

"Hey Kakuzu, what's up with that box in the bathroom? Deidara was just looking at it" Hidan asked innocently, throwing stuff out of his dresser in search of pants. Kakuzu visibly stiffened.

"Nothing. Don't touch it" he growled. Hidan cocked an eyebrow, pulling on a pair of baggy jeans.

"Oooookay then" he sang "Hey, Kakuzu one more question"

"What?" he asked irately.

"How come you wear that mask?" he'd been avoiding asking because he thought it would offend him. He generally didn't care who he offended, but he needed more friends and Kakuzu was his best bet at this point.

"Because I'm hideous" Kakuzu said blatantly. Hidan balked. That was brutally honest.

"No one's so hideous they have to wear a mask, Kakuzu" Hidan forced himself to laugh lightly as he pulled a t-shirt over his head.

"I am"

"Come on" Hidan rolled his eyes, padding over to Kakuzu. He kneeled down in front of Kakuzu "It can't be that bad" he reached out to grab the corner of the thick fabric, only to have his wrist grabbed.

"Don't do that" Kakuzu glared daggers at Hidan. Hidan was not happy about the physical contact.

"You're so insecure you wear a mask. Fucking pathetic" he sneered. He snatched his hand back angrily, making sure to do it as violently as possible.

"You're so insecure you lie about your sexuality" Kakuzu replied calmly, though there was a spark in his eye. All the color drained out of Hidan's face, save for his cheeks which remained pink.

"I did NOT fucking lie, you fucking prick!" Hidan shouted.

"Whatever you say. And I don't wear a mask because I'm insecure; I wear it because I know I'm hideous. I don't care; it's just tedious to be stared at"

"Whatever YOU say, dumbass" Hidan muttered. Kakuzu sent a sharp glare his way.

"I'm serious" Kakuzu glowered.

"No one is that ugly, save for a very few fucking few" Hidan was calm again, but not about to give up.

"I'm one of those few"

"No. The top half of your face is fine" he leaned forward again, managing to take the mask in both hands gently. He had it down about a centimeter when he saw a glossy black knot of thread. He gave it a quizzical look and began to pull down more.

"STOP" Kakuzu grabbed both of Hidan's arms and flung him into the nearby wall. There was an avalanche of books as Hidan's feet collided with the bookshelf.

"Oh my God, is everyone okay, un?" Deidara poked his head out of the bathroom, sopping wet. Hidan was in a heap under a pile of books, and Kakuzu was sitting where Deidara had seen him last, the metal structure looking even more like a piece of abstract art and less like a headboard. He rolled his eyes as Hidan pulled himself up, seething. "Don't kill each other while I'm in the shower, un" he closed the door and disappeared into the bathroom.

"FUCKING ASSHOLE" Hidan screeched "That was a total dick-move!"

"You tried to pull off my mask" Kakuzu was readjusting it while he spoke.

"It's just a shitty little MASK" Hidan fumed, starting to set the books upright.

"Whatever, faggot" Kakuzu snorted.

"I am NOT" Hidan's growl was almost feral.

"What. Ever." Kakuzu ran a hand through his shoulder-length black hair. There was a long moment of silence as the boys started to regain dignity. Hidan sighed and shot Kakuzu one last glare before beginning to place the books back on the shelf. Kakuzu mimicked the sound as he got back to work on his headboard. The room was full of the busy shuffling of paper and tiny clinks of metal for a long while before Hidan spoke up.

"Dude, look, I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be at this school to solve anger issues, though, so maybe you understand…"

"Yeah… I'm at this school for similar reasons" Kakuzu nodded. Hidan's attitude perked up.

"Really?" he piped, scooting across the carpet to sit near Kakuzu "Like what?"

"Well I have a touch of OCD and I like to piss people off. I'm over the pissing people off thing, except when they get me really mad, then I go ape-shit," Kakuzu chuckled "but you've witnessed that firsthand"

Hidan nodded, grinning "I can understand that!" his smile wavered "But how come you think you're so ugly?"

"I've been told that all my life. It really gets to me because I wasn't born this way" he sighed.

"Ohhh…" Hidan didn't really know how to reply.

"It's cool though. I've gotten used to wearing my mask, and people at school are used to it too. There aren't many stares anymore." Hidan settled for nodding.

A fragrant cloud of steam swept the room as Deidara entered, his hair tied up in a towel. He was in bright purple jeans and an army green tanktop.

"You look like Barney threw up, Blondie" Hidan teased. Deidara stuck his tongue out before peeling off his gaudy jeans in favor of some denim blue ones.

"Happy now, un?" he pouted.

"Yes, yes I am" Hidan grinned in amusement just as an ear-splitting alarm went off over their heads. Hidan's roommates clapped their hands over their ears in a flash, scrambling towards the door. Hidan, unaffected by the loud noise, took his time following after. The halls weren't crowded as Hidan had expected, but rather very sparsely inhabited. It really must be a small school.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?" Hidan shouted over the alarm.

"IT'S THE FIRE ALARM" Deidara shouted back.

"I KNOW!"

"THEN WHY'D YOU ASK?"

"NEVERMIND, JUST GET OUTSIDE" Kakuzu gave Hidan a sharp kick and pushed Deidara forward. They turned to give him equally nasty glares before obeying his command.

Once outside they found Sasori, who was with a very skinny boy with gaunt cheeks and piercing eyes. Deidara managed to hear a snippet of conversation.

"You need be wary of your choices, Sasori. This morning was NOT the end, dearest" the pale boy seemed to be seething and extremely confident at the same time.

"You don't have any control over who I choose to let into my life… or my bed for that matter" Sasori crossed his arms and looked steadily into the other's eyes. The other only chuckled lightly.

"We'll see about th-" he was cut off as the hulking blue boy that Deidara dn Hidan had first seen Sasori with loomed up from behind him.

"This snake causin' you trouble, Sori?" Kisame growled, his bangs falling in his face menacingly. Sasori's face lit up a little at the appearance of his best friend.

"No, Kisame. He was just leaving" he smirked playfully at his friend as his other accessory disbanded quickly.

"You gotta do somethin' about him, Sori" Kisame swept a hand through his hair with a heavy sigh. He locked eyes with Sasori, conveying another message silently as Deidara ushered Hidan forward to join them. Kakuzu lazily strolled behind them.

"Hey Sasori, who's your friend, un" Deidara smiled genially down at Sasori, and then up at Kisame.

"Oh! This is my best friend of about nine years now, Kisame Hoshigaki" Sasori gestured to Kisame "Kisame, this is my new friend Deidara, the one I was telling you about"

"Hey there, Deidara" Kisame's lopsided grin appeared and he held out his hand.

"N-nice to meet you, un!" he stuttered in reply, ignoring the hand, save for a wary glance. Kisame turned to Sasori with a tentative glance before speaking again.

"Have any of you seen a boy who looks like a girl, with black hair, about this tall?" Kisame held his left hand up to his lower shoulder. Everyone shook their heads. "Oh. Well who are they, then?" he jerked his head to Hidan and Kakuzu, who were conversing quietly.

"Oh. That's Hidan, Deidara's friend…and you know Kakuzu, right? He has history with us" Sasori answered.

"Kakuzu, Hidan, this is Kisame. He's a friend of Sasori's, un" Deidara added helpfully, noticing that neither Kakuzu nor Hidan were paying attention.

"Hey" Hidan muttered.

"Mmmg" Kakuzu grunted. They both resumed their conversation softly. Deidara rolled his eyes.

"Sorry Kisame, un. Neither of them are really all that social, un" he shrugged roughly. Kisame nodded.

"It's all good, dude. I can see they're busy… ITACHI" he suddenly jogged about ten feet off, catching up with a short, pale, brunette who looked none-too-happy to see him.

"Kisame, what do you want?" the boy asked bitterly "I thought I told you to leave me alone"

"You did…" Kisame admitted, biting his lip.

"Then why are you speaking to me?" Itachi snapped.

"Well… you… I" the truth was that he didn't know. He took a deep breath before smiling "Because I enjoy your company" Itachi's face almost colored. Almost.

"You're impossible" he grumbled. Kisame grinned. He had won this one.

"You wanna meet some of my friends?" he grabbed Itachi's wrist and started to pull him along without an answer. "This is…" Kisame started to explain before there was a sharp intake of breath from Hidan, Deidara, and Itachi.

"_YOU_" they all spat at the same time, a feral look edging into all three pairs of eyes.

"Why are _YOU_ here, un? I thought you were supposed to be 'down yonder' fixing up your fucked up head" Deidara sneered.

"Well I got out on good behavior. You still have that annoying little 'un' tick, I see" Itachi growled, stepping closer to Deidara. Deidara twitched back, but Hidan clamped a hand down on his shoulder reassuringly.

"What's up, fuckwad?" he smirked without humor.

"I didn't know _you_ went to school here. I thought you were too busy playing father to your illegitimate little sister" Itachi quipped. Hidan turned scarlet.

"Watch your fucking mouth, pretty-boy. I could get a teacher to get you shipped back to Texas before you even fucking _blinked_"

"But you wouldn't. Authority _scares_ you. Too bad it wouldn't hurt if I got rid of _you_ just like I did with _her_" a smile that sent shivers down Sasori, Kisame, and Kakuzu's spines crept slowly onto Itachi's pale pink lips.

"Don't you fucking _dare_ start in on Rei" Hidan warned, a spark igniting somewhere behind his pale eyes.

"And why ever not?" Itachi snarled unexpectedly. Hidan jumped involuntarily, and his grip on Deidara's shoulder tightened.

"You know _damn_ good and well _why not_, un" Deidara shoved Hidan's hand roughly off his shoulder and took a brave step towards Itachi.

"Uh… _What's going on_" Sasori whispered to Kakuzu and Kisame. All three of them were too surprised and uninvolved to intervene. They all barely knew the fussing trio, and didn't want to step into what appeared to be a _very_ personal row.

"I… have NO idea" Kakuzu replied incredulously.

"Look all I know is that Itachi was trying to commit suicide when I met him. That is the only reason I even know him or hang around with him" Kisame held up his hands in defense, stiffening even more so when a pair of hazel and a pair of electric green eyes shot to him.

"Seriously?" Sasori raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah… he was just about to step off the roof. I told him I wouldn't tell anyone if he just hung out with me so I could make sure he was okay. Well I told you but-"

BASH "Aughh!" The three whipped their heads around to stare at Hidan standing over Itachi, who scrambled up to land a futile blow into Hidan's jaw. Deidara was busy bawling into his hands.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Kisame cried, grabbing Itachi by the shoulders and pulling him away.

"Hidan, what the hell?" Kakuzu latched a hand around the fist Hidan was raising. Hidan seethed, blood dripping out of the corner of his mouth. He seemed to be in such a state that he couldn't even hear Kakuzu.

"Itachi calm down!" Kisame demanded, restraining Itachi's hands behind his back. Itachi struggled futilely, almost breaking his own wrists trying to get at Hidan. Hidan was having equally as much trouble getting away from Kakuzu. Sasori slowly approached Deidara.

"Deidara… are you okay?" he timidly put a hand on his hands, gently peeling them from his face. Deidara's glove-covered hands twitched violently and Sasori let go, opting for a casual hand-on-the-shoulder.

"N-n-n-n-no, un" Deidara blubbered helplessly.

"Do you… uh, want to talk about it?" Sasori tried. He knew he wasn't going to be of much help. Hell, he'd just met Deidara the other day and now he was offering to help him with a very delicate matter.

"LATER" Deidara barked, a new torrent of tears clawing their way through his eyeliner. Sasori jumped and recoiled his hand.

"Uh, Kisame, maybe we should drag them away from- ow!- each other so that- Hidan, ow!- they don't actually kill- Hidan, you ass, fucking stop that- each other" Kakuzu struggled to keep Hidan still, but the smaller boy was putting up a worthy fight.

"Maybe that's a good idea" Kisame agreed, wheeling Itachi around to take him someplace else. Kakuzu nodded in farewell, tightening his grip on Hidan to bone-crunching force.

"Okay, you little fuck. Stop struggling, he's gone" Kakuzu turned him around to make eye contact. Tears were in Hidan's eyes, ready to spill. But they didn't.

"Let me go" it was almost a request. Kakuzu relaxed his grip, letting his hands slide down Hidan's arms until they bounced back to his own sides. Hidan didn't make any move to run after Itachi, so he crossed them.

"Would it be inappropriate of me to ask?" Kakuzu almost whispered. Hidan nodded, barely a twitch of his head. "Okay then. Maybe you should go be with Deidara" Kakuzu finished gently.

"Thanks" Hidan muttered uncertainly before staggering off to his still-weeping best friend, who he immediately enveloped in a hug. They stood there for a moment, sharing a silent message through the contact like only good friends could.

"Students! You may all go back inside. But you all must go to the cafeteria, there are announcements to be made" a teacher yelled through a megaphone.

They'd all been so caught up in the recent drama; they had all failed to notice the smoke pouring from the fourth floor. Deidara's eyes widened drastically and he wiped the tears from them to stare at Sasori in bewilderment. He tenderly pushed Hidan out of the hug and wandered over to the red-head.

"I had almost forgot there was a fire, un" he blinked rapidly, confusion evident on his face.

"Me too" Sasori nodded. They both fell in step with Kakuzu and Hidan, all four joining the crowd re-entering the school building.

When the entire student body had managed to pile into the cafeteria, the headmaster stood before them all, worry lines grooved deep into his forehead. "Students…" he began warily "There has been a fire in my office and the fourth floor science labs… We expect that a student started the fire"

An excited and panicked murmur spread across the kids like a wave. The headmaster raised a hand to silence them, and only a few stragglers continued to whisper. "I'm afraid there will be a search on everyone's rooms later this evening, and you will not be allowed back into them until the search has been completed. The student responsible will be facing Arson charges and will be expelled from the district. Police intervention is extremely likely, and the punishment they choose is not under our control. Since you are not allowed to go to your dormitories, after lunch you will be heading to your fourth period. I know it's Saturday Lunch is over in fifteen minutes. Good day" he stepped down, immediately entering a heated conversation with a large-chested police woman and the Junior's science teacher, Mrs. Kurenai.

_..:::: FHPS- Mr. Kakash's History Class.- Saturday Aug 20__th__ - 1:25 am ::::.. _

"Halfway through class and we've done squat" Kisame grumbled.

"Well we just heard that someone tried to burn down the school" Sasori defended.

"Yeah, whatever" Kisame slapped a card down on the table. They were currently sitting in a group of four desks, Kakuzu occupying one, and their book-bags occupying the other. The other students were all sitting in a similar fashion, no doubt gossiping about who the culprit could be.

"I'm out" Kakuzu muttered sullenly, spraying his cards out across the table.

"You fold every time you're in a tight spot" Sasori scoffed.

"I don't like to lose money" Kakuzu admitted "and I'm a terrible poker player"

"We didn't bet any money" Kisame crinkled his nose in confusion.

"Well I don't like losing my theoretical money either. It makes me queasy" he scowled, the effect list behind his mask.

"Technically you're cheating with that mask on" Kisame jabbed a finger rudely in Kakuzu's general direction.

"I don't like to take it off" Kakuzu replied with a warning tone.

"Why?" Sasori interjected, slapping down another few cards.

"I just don't" Kakuzu said.

"Suit yourself, but I ain't playin' poker with ya" Kisame shrugged, spreading out his hand with a grin "Gotchya, Sori"

"Uhhg. Why are you so good at this game?" Sasori smiled sadly, dropping his cards and slapping Kisame's back.

"Practice" Kisame beamed, leaning backing his chair "I learned when I was little. That's what you get for havin' a no-good, drunken daddy for half your life"

"Speaking of family issues" Kakuzu perked up, jumping at the chance to change the subject off gambling "What do you guys suppose was going on between Itachi, Hidan, and Deidara this afternoon?"

All three of their faces grew solemn. No one knew. That didn't mean they couldn't speculate. "Well I dunno, but I'm guessing they grew up together" Kisame began.

"Itachi said that he did something to this girl named Rei" Sasori added thoughtfully "And an illegitimate sister came up, do you think they're the same person?"

"I don't think so. Hidan looked pretty upset when Itachi mentioned his sister, but they talked about her in present tense. What scares me is how they talked about the other girl in past tense…" Kakuzu muttered grimly.

"They also said something about Texas" Kisame screwed up his face in concentration.

"When I met Hidan we began talking, and he said something about a friend in a mental hospital down in Texas" Kakuzu gasped.

"Mental hospital? I guess it makes sense. Itachi was trying to commit suicide" Kisame rubbed his chin.

"This is all very troublesome. I'm thinking we should sit this one out" Sasori said wisely. The other two nodded slowly, their brains whirring for answers.

"Wait- do you think what ever Itachi did to the little girl, Rei, has anything to do with his hospital stay?" Kakuzu asked.

"Perhaps" Sasori nodded.

"I can't believe I just met Hidan and Deidara, and I'm already this far in their shit" Kakuzu complained sourly.

"Oh, same here" Kisame shook his head with a chuckle.

"Me as well. There's just something about Deidara that seems worthwhile" Sasori allowed a fond smile to inch onto his thin lips.

"I just don't want Itachi to kill himself. I'm so wound up in his life now, that I'd be devastated" Kisame said.

"And Hidan, Deidara, and I share a room so it's not like I can get away from them" Kakuzu looked up shyly at the other two "Maybe we should investigate this a little more"

"Agreed" Kisame and Sasori chirruped at once. They all laughed sheepishly. But no one could resist a good mystery.

End chapter five~

A/N

I hope you enjoy it, but it may be confusing. It's supposed to be to an extent. it's sorta a mystery, you know. You have to figure out ...

( by the way I have to come up with these questions AND answers, so show some respect for the plot bunnies that live in my head)

Is Hidan strait? Why was the fire started? Who started it? Why is Itachi so fucking crazy? Who is Rei? What's this about Hidan's sister being illegitimate? Where's Hidan's daddy? Why has Deidara turned down three handshakes? Why does Kakuzu wear his mask? What's up with the locked box in the bathroom? Why are the three Juniors interested in their new sophomore friend's DRAMA? What the hell is wrong with Sasori's creepy roommate? Where are all of the other Akatsuki members? Why does Deidara smell like a stripper? WHY DOES KISAME TALK LIKE A HICK? **WHERE THE HELL IS WALDO?**  
*ahem*

Keep reading to find out these answers.

and if you ever want to see Hidan and Kakuzu make out.


End file.
